


Lassitude

by hmweasley



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Baby Harry Potter, F/M, Marauders' Era, Mild Language
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-11
Updated: 2018-04-11
Packaged: 2019-04-21 17:56:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 638
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14290239
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hmweasley/pseuds/hmweasley
Summary: James isn't cut out for staying indoors for months on end, and he isn't sure how he's going to make it.





	Lassitude

**Author's Note:**

> This was written with the prompts "lassitude" and "write a fic set in the Marauders Era."

**Lassitude** : ( **NOUN** ) A state of physical or mental weariness; lack of energy.  
— Oxford English Dictionary

James’ jaw clenched as the ticking of the clock echoed in his brain. He remembered buying the damned thing when they were newly married, and he swore it hadn’t made a sound back then.

He had a strong desire to hit it with a well aimed jinx. The only thing stopping him was Harry, who was lying on his blanket on the floor. He had one hand in his mouth, chomping away, and was oblivious to any noises in the room that weren’t his own.

James wished he could distract himself that easily. It would make being confined to their house much easier to handle. As it was, each moment was a fight against the lassitude that had begun growing by their second day of isolation.

There was a laugh that was louder than the ticking, and he turned towards his wife with a halfhearted glare.

She had thrown her legs over one arm of a chair and had The Complete Works of William Shakespeare open in her lap. She was on her second read of it since they’d gone into hiding.

“I’m losing my mind, Lils. It’s not funny.”

Lily’s laughter died as she managed to somehow look sympathetic after hearing the same sentiment ten times within the week.

“Getting out of the house would do us a world of good, but you’re not losing your mind,” she said.

She placed her book on the coffee table with a thud and joined James on the sofa. Harry’s babbling was beginning to capture more of James’ attention than the clock, allowing him to breathe easier.

If it weren’t for Harry and Lily, he would have lost his mind several months ago. He buried his face in Lily’s neck, trying to block out what was happening in the world outside their house.

Lily understood what he was thinking without him needing to explain it. She wound her fingers in his hair, massaging his scalp.

“No one can live forever,” she said quietly, “and he has to be, what? In his fifties at least.”

James snorted.

“That makes him an adolescent by wizarding standards,” he said against her skin, unable to stop himself from grinning when she shivered.

“Yes,” she said, newly distracted, “I’m not actually expecting his cause of death to be old age and a tired heart.”

“That would require him having a heart,” James agreed.

“When is Sirius’ next visit?”

Lily tugged at his hair to get him to look at her face.

“Your guess is as good as mine. Last time, he said he might need to stay away awhile to keep Death Eaters off his tail.”

“They think it’s him,” Lily said, voice laced with worry.

“Of course they do. Even Dumbledore does. For once, they’re not idiots.”

“I know Remus is on that mission for Dumbledore,” Lily continued, “but what about Peter? Shouldn’t we have seen him by now?”

James shrugged, but his frown revealed that he was as worried about that as she was.

“I’m sure he’s being cautious,” James said. “He doesn’t want to lead Death Eaters here any more than Sirius does, and he could actually do it.”

Lily nodded, chewing on her lip. Harry let out a particularly loud squeal, and her lips turned upward in a smile. James had his own soft smile on his face as he watched Lily pick the infant up and begin speaking to him in a high pitched voice about bunny rabbits like the one he had clutched in his fist.

He still felt tired, and he didn’t think that would leave him until he was free. But if he had to live in under what was essentially house arrest, he was thankful to have his family with him.


End file.
